Worth Ball Gown circa 1898

…where were the jewels? Were they not a part of the emancipation of the fairer sex in this country? Of course they were, however American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, May 5 — August 15, 2010) is about ladies loosening up (their buttons, babe), letting go (of the corset and constraints, literally), demanding equality (the vote), and getting on the power train (financially speaking). All of this seen in the seams and sequins of the years between 1890 and 1940. To be sure, jewelry had a vital role in the freeing of women from centuries of European convention, and at the very beginning of the show, where the mannequins are dressed for a party in a setting that replicated Mrs. Astor’s ballroom in Newport, they sport necklaces and bracelets that, from my perch, appeared to be period paste (opaline, colored, as well as white paste, to be exact). Not quite sure if the period was correct — I’d like to think so, however, opaline paste was popular fairly early in the nineteenth century and certainly earlier than the 1890s. It is true that women did wear impressive family heirlooms to such events but by this time, many of them were updated or redesigned to reflect current tastes. Aside from the long strands of pearls on the flappers, this was the only representation of jewelry in the show. With all the wonderful collections of antique paste across the country, it would have been quite convincing to use these pieces throughout American Woman to create an even more complete portrayal.

I do have more to say about American women, jewelry, and freedom and will post the link to my post (published elsewhere) when it becomes available.

The press preview was something of a behind-the-scenes view of the Met anticipating the gala that was to follow in the evening. There was painting of walls, drops cloths on floors, and men and women dashing about frenetically. After viewing the exhibition, which is an absolute must-see for everyone, I quite enjoyed listening to the opening remarks of Patrick Robinson (GAP Executive VP of Global Design) and Andrew Bolton (Curator of American Woman). Vogue EIC Anna Wintour was there too, and I got my first, in person, glimpse of her, just a few feet away from where I was seated. She is a force when she walks into a room. There is no denying her presence or her persuasion in any fashion context. A good many of the editorial crew from Vogue was there too, and it was fun to watch their interaction; they seem very much like any other group of office mates, which surprised me, I guess.

As for the show itself, American Woman explains quite clearly and very evocatively, how the societal role of women evolved in the United States, and how this manifested sartorially. This isn’t about smoke signals that one’s hopes to read from a distance. The clothes reflected women’s desires, dictates, and ultimately, their hard-won self-determination.

Flapper Gallery: Lanvin 1923, Anonymous French dress 1925

To see my Romantic Jewelry segment on MARTHA, please click here.

You may also watch any of the other segments and/or view the show in its entirety (FYI: all of Martha’s guests, myself included, share a special Valentine’s Day memory at the very top of the hour)

We are pleased to announce that Lori Ettlinger Gross, author of Brooches: Timeless Adornment, will be on MARTHA on February 8th.

In NYC, MARTHA airs on WNBC/Channel 4 at 11am ET. Check other local listings for times and stations.

some of the season’s most compelling jewels for sale will be in Boston next week at Skinner Inc. Sotheby’s and Christie’s New York will be hosting their preview’s this coming Friday. There is nothing more festively restorative than pouring over an auction catalog with a cup of something warm and delicious. Starbucks’ peppermint hot chocolate is a decadent treat — when judiciously imbibed, it is an undeniable highlight during the holiday season.

A happy announcement: Please join me Thursday, December 10th at 7 am EST when I will be a guest on Martha Stewart radio’s Morning Living. I’ll have some great stories about sentimental jewelry and offering tips for holiday gift giving.

18K gold and enamel Oiseaux Brooch by Georges Braque

Molded blue glass brooch, Lalique,

More is More by Hutton Wilkinson

It was a cool, clear, autumnal New York night on one at Saks Fifth. A three piece band was playing jazz in the background. The handsome Hutton Wilkinson was signing books and greeting all with his signature exuberance and charm. And he kissing those who have taken the time to stop by. My invitation came by way of mail, but first by telephone when his assistant Fred, who stayed out of the fray in LA, called to ask for my address. Hutton does things in that genteel, old-school way — come have a glass of wine, let’s talk about jewelry and Tony Duquette until dawn and if you are very lucky, at Dawnridge, Duquette’s home in LA that Hutton still maintains to perfection. You will find interior shots of Dawnridge in Hutton’s newly released title. You will also learn much more about the effervescent Tony Duquette.

Harper’s Bazaar Editor in Chief, Glenda Bailey, was hosting the party and bearing the most fantastic bit of TD history — a vintage jewel created by the designer. It was the color of a lilac sunset accented by soft greens and yellows. As I waded through the crowd I had the opportunity to see it up close and asked her about it. She was lovely, and permitted this jewelry historian a moment to gaze at this tour de force of Duquette design.

TD’s jewelry was never for the faint of heart, however it is for those left-brained folk who grasp its full-throttle force of originality. More was definitely better for the designer, a Renaissance man who created interiors for luminaries, designed sets for Hollywood productions, and neo-baroque jewelry that would easily fit into any of his drama-driven dioramas. Hutton who worked for the designer when he was eighteen, later bought the business from his widow and continued creating jewelry based on vintage designs and inventing fabulous adaptations. Through the Duquette name, Hutton became a designer in his own right. A malachite version of Ms. Bailey’s necklace was in the first case of several dedicated to all things TD in Saks impressive jewelry department. The necklace had all the whistles and bells of TD, yet in Hutton’s hands, the elements became a pleasing mix of monochromatic greens that blended the usual TD drama and playfulness with a sense of refinement and modernity (and Hutton, by his own admission, is not a “modern” guy). Bravo, dear Hutton! More, more, more…

There are some pics from the evening here

Ring by Wallace Chan

What does it mean when an artisan insists he can do nature one better? It means that he should not only have the guts to fulfill such a promise, but also do so with equal mastery. While many have proffered such puffery, Wallace Chan seems to have lived up to it. Even the fashion folk are fanning the fire: W will include an exclusive spread about Chan in their November issue. Is he the next Joel Arthur Rosenthal, also known as JAR? Perhaps… and perhaps he will raise the bar even higher. On the tablet of jewelry design, there is plenty of white space for those talented enough to leave their mark.

Necklace by Wallace Chan

Chan’s approach to jewelry design began as a meditative process. After retreating from the world of sculpture, a talent he honed from the age of thirteen when he apprenticed with a local artist, he emerged like one of his butterflies, glorious, fully-realized and alighting on the jeweler’s bench ready to fulfill his destiny. As a sculptor, he’d already taught himself the cameo and intaglio techniques of carving gemstones, and later, gem-cutting. His now famous Wallace-cut won the Hong Kong Jewelry Design Award in 1987.

However, Chan’s aesthetic isn’t easily definable. He wears nothing by way of ornament on his body, not even a watch. He has six television sets mounted on the wall of his home, all turned on and at one point in his life, tuned to fashion shows almost every night. He will tell you that his unique approach results from the silent confines of Buddhist meditation. Yet his list of those whose jewelry he admires resides in the collective consciousness as larger than life: JAR, Man Ray, Pablo Picasso, Max Ernst, Andre Derain, and Jean Arp. They’ve earned his respect for, “…art objects that were popular for their design rather than the (intrinsic) value of the works themselves.” This is probably a good time to mention that Chan works in titanium — a noble metal as unforgiving to imperfection as it is wondrous in texture, weight, and coloration.

Brooches by Wallace Chan

What are we to make of this? Is his artistic vision extracted from the complex network of outlets the world has fashioned from the “information highway?” Or is he simply a savvy negotiator and communicator of his professional platform? Both, I suspect, but nevertheless talented in a way that only skill and originality make hype irrelevant.

Visit www.wallace-chan.com for more information.

The Association for the Study of Jewelry & Related Arts Conference, October 11, 2009 www.jewelryconference.com

I will be attending the conference tomorrow and tweeting live. Come follow all the events at www.twitter.com/LuxArtRocks.

Ginnifer Goodwin at The 61st Emmy Awards

As for the 61st Emmys? Well, Fred Leighton, Chopard, and Neil Lane were the big contributors there. Lorraine Schwartz was on a few celebrities. One new player on the red carpet was Ivanka Trump Jewels — Ginnifer Goodwin was wearing them and the look was young, fresh, and not overly styled (many attendees were). Loved it.

In the antique and vintage category at Leighton, the winners were nineteenth-century old mine diamonds and early Art Deco (think 1920s). You will see more Deco diamonds in the coming months, this perennial favorite is again seeing renewed interest — stylists love it because it pairs gorgeously with black — fashion’s mainstay. I recently worked a pair of costume Deco clips (a 1930s Coro which can also be clipped together and worn as a single brooch) with the neckline of a black tropical weight wool dress. A classic look for those who want to give a lift to a solid dark canvas. It’s fast, easy, and if you find a great example for not too much $$, you’ve got a go-to that will endure for years.

If you would like to read the article please click here.